Category:Von Zarovich Family: Difference between revisions

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==History==
==History==
According to the in-character description of [["S"]] in [[Ravenloft Gazetteer I]], [[1 BC|year one]] of the [[Barovian Calendar]] starts with the [[founding]] of Barovia by the von Zaroviches on an [[outlander world]] of unknown name. As the ruling family, the von Zaroviches were involved in a number of events over the next three hundred fifty years. In [[168 BC]], the von Zaroviches gave their favor to the establishment of the [[Church of Andral]]. In [[230 BC]], the [[Neuren]] Horde invaded Barovia, gaing ground up to [[Vallaki]]. However, they were thwarted and eventually driven back by [[General-Princess Nicoleta von Zarovich]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15">[[Gazetteer I]], p. 15</ref>
According to the in-character description of [["S"]] in [[Ravenloft Gazetteer I]], [[1 BC|year one]] of the [[Barovian Calendar]] starts with the [[founding]] of Barovia by the von Zaroviches on an [[outlander world]] of unknown name. As the ruling family, the von Zaroviches were involved in a number of events over the next three hundred fifty years. In [[168 BC]], the von Zaroviches gave their favor to the establishment of the [[Church of Andral]]. In [[230 BC]], the [[Neureni]] Horde invaded Barovia, gaing ground up to [[Vallaki]]. However, they were thwarted and eventually driven back by [[General-Princess Nicoleta von Zarovich]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15">[[Gazetteer I]], p. 15</ref>


The events that would lead to disaster for House von Zarovich occurred in the 4th century BC. In [[314 BC]], [[the Assassination of Lady Izabela Dilisnya]] led to the so-called [[War of Silver Knives]], much less a war than a series of cloak-and-dagger [[murder]]s  as part of a blood feud between [[Dilisnya Family]], [[Katsky Family]], and the [[Petrovna Family]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15">[[Gazetteer I]], p. 15</ref> [[Barov von Zarovich]] (b. [[277 BC]]) forced an end to the conflict and pacified the belligerent families with offers of [[land]]. Though an on-its-face [[peace]] was achieved, it was a strained peace. The internal divisions left by the aftermath helped pave the way for the [[Terg]] [[invasion]] in [[320 BC]]. Several decades of bloody warfare ensued. Barov and his wife [[Ravenia van Roeyen]] were slain by the Tergs in [[346 BC]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15-16">Gazetteer I, p. 15-16</ref>
The events that would lead to disaster for House von Zarovich occurred in the 4th century BC. In [[314 BC]], [[the Assassination of Lady Izabela Dilisnya]] led to the so-called [[War of Silver Knives]], much less a war than a series of cloak-and-dagger [[murder]]s  as part of a blood feud between [[Dilisnya Family]], [[Katsky Family]], and the [[Petrovna Family]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15">[[Gazetteer I]], p. 15</ref> [[Barov von Zarovich]] (b. [[277 BC]]) forced an end to the conflict and pacified the belligerent families with offers of [[land]]. Though an on-its-face [[peace]] was achieved, it was a strained peace. The internal divisions left by the aftermath helped pave the way for the [[Terg]] [[invasion]] in [[320 BC]]. Several decades of bloody warfare ensued. Barov and his wife [[Ravenia van Roeyen]] were slain by the Tergs in [[346 BC]].<ref name="Gazetteer I p. 15-16">Gazetteer I, p. 15-16</ref>

Revision as of 13:13, 3 September 2017

The von Zarovich family comprises the founding family of the kingdom of Barovia on the Prime Material Plane and also the noble dynasty from which the infamous Count Strahd von Zarovich, the darklord of Barovia and indeed the first known darklord in all of existence, receives his noble bloodline from. A family tree of the von Zarovich bloodline was included in the Realm of Terror boxed set, the first printed version of the Ravenloft campaign setting and often referred to as the "Black Box" by fans. According to the family tree, all known von Zarovich descendants living in this day are descended from Sturm von Zarovich and Giselle von Zarovich, whom escaped the fate of their relatives[1] for not having attended the Wedding of Sergei von Zarovich, a day damned not only by family enemy Lord Leo Dilisnya but also by the villainous treachery of Strahd von Zarovich. (This is not to say that there were not other von Zarovich descendants, but they were introduced in later products)[2]

The extant von Zarovich bloodline in the domain of Barovia bears a karmic taint wrought by the actions of Strahd[3]. He murdered his brother Sergei von Zarovich as part of a deal with dark powers for renewed vitality and the chance to win the unrequited love of Tatyana Federovna, Sergei's bride.Horrified, Tatyana jumped from the parapets of Castle Ravenloft, but her body vanished, never to be found. It was for Strahd's betrayal that Barovia formed as the first domain in the Demiplane of Dread and Strahd became the first darklord.[4] Though the entire family is cursed, the way the curse manifests can vary from individual to individual. (Possible manifestations are listed in the family traits given in Legacy of the Blood: Great Families of the Core[5], a late 3rd Edition product that covers many of the notable and historic bloodlines within the Land of Mists.)

History

According to the in-character description of "S" in Ravenloft Gazetteer I, year one of the Barovian Calendar starts with the founding of Barovia by the von Zaroviches on an outlander world of unknown name. As the ruling family, the von Zaroviches were involved in a number of events over the next three hundred fifty years. In 168 BC, the von Zaroviches gave their favor to the establishment of the Church of Andral. In 230 BC, the Neureni Horde invaded Barovia, gaing ground up to Vallaki. However, they were thwarted and eventually driven back by General-Princess Nicoleta von Zarovich.[6]

The events that would lead to disaster for House von Zarovich occurred in the 4th century BC. In 314 BC, the Assassination of Lady Izabela Dilisnya led to the so-called War of Silver Knives, much less a war than a series of cloak-and-dagger murders as part of a blood feud between Dilisnya Family, Katsky Family, and the Petrovna Family.[6] Barov von Zarovich (b. 277 BC) forced an end to the conflict and pacified the belligerent families with offers of land. Though an on-its-face peace was achieved, it was a strained peace. The internal divisions left by the aftermath helped pave the way for the Terg invasion in 320 BC. Several decades of bloody warfare ensued. Barov and his wife Ravenia van Roeyen were slain by the Tergs in 346 BC.[7]

With Strahd obtaining the command of the military, fate for Barovia and its ruling house seemed for a time to turn itself around. In 347 BC, Strahd pushed out the Tergs.[8] Lauded as a military hero, Strahd's victory was secretly (at least in part) due to a Faustian pact made with the yugoloth known as Inajira.[9] Strahd oversaw the refurnishing of Castle Ravenloft and called his relatives to join him there in 749 BC. Strahd settled down and assumed the rule of Barovia thereafter, but soon Strahd became unsettled. The return of his much younger brother Sergei made Strahd ill at ease, for the difference in their age reminded Strahd of his long-gone youth. Strahd became infatuated with Sergei's lover Tatyana. On the day of Sergei and Tatyana's wedding, made a dark pact for immortality and murdered Sergei. At the same time, Leo Dilisnya, motivated by power and the lingering Dilisnya grudge agains the von Zaroviches, launched a plot of assassinations with the Ba'al Verzi against the wedding attendees. His men, disguised as castle guards, shot the rampaging Strahd dead, causing him to rise as a vampire. Barovia was thereafter doomed.[10]

The middle brother of the von Zarovich Family, Sturm von Zarovich, and his wife Giselle Fallona, were not present at the wedding[11] (or at least, that's what Strahd disguised as Sturm would later claim[12]) and henceforth lived to sire offspring to continue the family line, according to the von Zarovich family bloodline[1] Confusingly, Strahd is said in Legacy of the Blood to have assumed the guise of Sturm at some point to chase down Leo and the rest of the Dilisnyas[12]; how he would have done this in the presence of Sturm's living descendants has not been specified in canon. Regardless, Strahd kept control of Barovia through a procession of "heirs" bearing his name, in reality the original Strahd all along.

Chronology

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 Realm of Terror p.127
  2. Roots of Evil p. , Fair Barovia p. , Curse of Strahd p.
  3. Legacy of the Blood: Great Families of the Core p. 121-122
  4. Domains of Dread p. 14-15
  5. Legacy of the Blood, p. 122-123
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Gazetteer I, p. 15 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Gazetteer I p. 15" defined multiple times with different content
  7. Gazetteer I, p. 15-16
  8. Gazetteer I, p. 16
  9. 9.0 9.1 Gazetteer I, p. 142 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Gazetteer I p. 142" defined multiple times with different content
  10. Ravenloft Player's Handbook p. 19, Domains of Dread p. 14-15, [[Gazetteer IV p. 15. Strahd's in-character account is given in I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire.
  11. Gazetteer I, p. 17
  12. 12.0 12.1 Legacy of the Blood p. 38
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 Domains of Dread p.16
  14. 14.0 14.1 Ravenloft Third Edition p.12
  15. 15.0 15.1 Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.14 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "RPHB p.14" defined multiple times with different content
  16. Gazetteer I p.15
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Gaz 1, p 17.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 I, Strahd p.73-85 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "I, Strahd" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "I, Strahd" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "I, Strahd" defined multiple times with different content
  19. Gaz 1, pp 10, 16.
  20. Van Richten's Guide to Vampires p.6-9
  21. Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium I p.10-13
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume I p.34
  23. Legacy of the Blood p.151
  24. Thoughts of Darkness
  25. Children of the Night: Vampires p.21-26